Cricket: Six of The Best Contest for T20 Honors

SIX top schools will be competing against one another in the Coca-Cola Twenty20 Schools tournament in Pretoria this weekend, weather permitting.

Grey College (representing the Knights), Kingswood College (Warriors), St Stithians College (Lions), Waterkloof High School (Titans), Westville Boys’ High (Dolphins) and Wynberg Boys High (Cobras) were the last schools standing in their regions and will be representing their provinces at the tournament.

The tournament is one of the breeding grounds of young talent and where scouts, including SA under-19 coach Ray Jennings, search for potential future stars.

Last year’s champions, St Stithians, had among their squad that won the tournament in Stellenbosch, this year’s under-19 World Cup-winning star Kagiso Rabada. “This is a good stepping stone to get exposure,” Rabada said yesterday.

“Stellenbosch was great. It was not just about the cricket, but making new friends as well. One learns a lot about the game with interactions, not only between ourselves, but all the other players from other provinces.”

If the rainy weather comes to an end and does not cause the fields to be waterlogged, matches will be played at the University of Pretoria starting on Friday, with the final being played on Sunday.

Jennings believes this tournament is a crucial one in young players’ development and shaping the future of Twenty20 cricket in SA.

“As part of the culture of our country, we need to identify what (format) we want to win. As long as this Twenty20 competition is there, the country will be more serious about winning. This is a stage to get experience and get these youngsters involved. This is about giving opportunities,” Jennings said, referring to gradually getting the young players involved.